Where should we go? Next Spring/Summer

[odonnellryan]

After a successful trip this summer down the coast of NJ (out of the Raritan bay/NYC area to Cape May NJ), with no issues from the boat or crew, we have started to discuss a trip next year and I thought I'd get the forum's input.

One of the major hurdles is that while most of the crew (our friends) can take off during May and June - or at least partially where flying to us for 2-3 weeks would make sense for them - some of us who I'd hate to plan a trip without cannot get off work until July (teachers).

I know we can always sail north later in the summer, and I'm sure we'd enjoy ourselves, but a longer trip (we really enjoyed the ~24 hour passage north from Cape May) offshore to the tropics just seems too much fun to not take a stab at.

Options are Bermuda, or -somewhere- in the Caribbean. The question "are we ready for such an offshore trip" is one that I feel we need to answer ourselves: I feel yes, but I have been giving it a lot of thought and I have ensured others are not too excited to the point where they are not considering the prospect of being at sea for more than a week.

Bermuda: would it ever make sense to get there by the end of June and spend July to return at that point? I understand this is an expensive island as well, but that might not be a deal-killer.

Caribbean: does it even make sense at all if we're only planning for 2-3 months of cruising including the passage each way? What is the shortest trip to the Caribbean that wouldn't be too short including the passage down? We enjoy just sailing, that is what we do most of the time with the boat, but we're looking for some land fun as well. And to get experience with long passages!

[accomplice]

What do you sail and what is your sailing experience? What kinds of land-fun do you like?

[odonnellryan]

Originally Posted by accomplice

What do you sail and what is your sailing experience? What kinds of land-fun do you like?

We sail a 37' Hunter Cherubini which has been largely refit by myself so I know the boat well. Third year sailing, I am sure we have close to 100 days on the water (out almost every weekend or more during the season) with multiple overnights and plenty of nights on the hook on both this boat and on our previous boat, a Catalina 25. No offshore experience outside the trip to Cape May but that was only 20 miles or so offshore and obviously only a single day at sea.

We like to hike, camp. and mostly explore or see nature - I don't think we're too interested in partying or exploring urban areas. Personally I'd love to get some snorkeling in.

[accomplice]

20 miles offshore is generally considered near-coastal, not offshore. You're in VHF range, and if weather comes you're only a few hours from a safe anchorage. I'd suggest a few more years of coastal cruising, interspersing short (1-2 day) passages before venturing further. Also, consider crewing on other boats making offshore passages so you can gain experience.

If you're leaving from the NYC area, I would suggest New England. You can make short or long hops, as you wish (e.g. Cape Cod Canal to Northeast Harbor, ME will be a 24 hour+ near coastal, or you could stop every 2-3 hours if you wanted). I (and others) can provide itinerary ideas if you want.

A good next step when you feel ready might be a passage to Nova Scotia. Provincetown,MA to Shelburne, NS would a be a day and a half for you.

We sail to the Eastern Caribbean for the winter, but head north for the summers.

Plenty of hiking, camping and exploring in New England and the Maritimes, but alas, no good snorkeling (IMHO).

[Btravelin]

Summer is wonderful in Maine , Hiking the islands, fresh lobster , cool weather , hard to beat 😁

[DMCantor]

It’s about 10 days to Tortola from the Chesapeake, and a similar time back. So you can get there and enjoy some weeks of Caribbean cruising. BUT. summer is hurricane season, and you would be at the mercy of a tropical storm. Early in the summer you have fairly good odds, but how much do you want to bet?

[Mahayana]

Originally Posted by Btravelin

Summer is wonderful in Maine , Hiking the islands, fresh lobster , cool weather , hard to beat 😁

Go to the Canadian Maritimes! A wealth of anchorages in NS; Quebec’s version of the Caribbean- Ilês d madeleines; Norway-worthy fjords in Newfoundland! You gotta go!

Wouldn’t wish Maine waters on an enemy. The lobster industry has monopolized the waterways to a degree NC crab fishermen would envy. You CANNOT take your eyes off the water for a moment. The lobster floats are thick enough in some places you would swear you could walk from island to island. The stress induced on captain and crew is tragically imposed by an industry with callous disregard for other boaters, be they power or sail. (We do not have a cage around our running gear like they do.). Anchorages, channels, thoroughfares, mooring areas hold no sacredness to those who would set traps in traffic on Main Street if they thought a lobster might cross the street.

We have sailed Maine waters to get to/from Canadian Maritimes but will only come back to the state by car in the future. Next time we sail to the Maritimes our jump off will be Gloucester MA.

[accomplice]

Originally Posted by Mahayana

Go to the Canadian Maritimes! A wealth of anchorages in NS; Quebec’s version of the Caribbean- Ilês d madeleines; Norway-worthy fjords in Newfoundland! You gotta go!

Wouldn’t wish Maine waters on an enemy. The lobster industry has monopolized the waterways to a degree NC crab fishermen would envy. You CANNOT take your eyes off the water for a moment. The lobster floats are thick enough in some places you would swear you could walk from island to island. The stress induced on captain and crew is tragically imposed by an industry with callous disregard for other boaters, be they power or sail. (We do not have a cage around our running gear like they do.). Anchorages, channels, thoroughfares, mooring areas hold no sacredness to those who would set traps in traffic on Main Street if they thought a lobster might cross the street.

We have sailed Maine waters to get to/from Canadian Maritimes but will only come back to the state by car in the future. Next time we sail to the Maritimes our jump off will be Gloucester MA.

The key to cruising Maine is a line-cutter on your prop.

[odonnellryan]

Thanks all!

I feel we would enjoy going north and I'll definitely consider it. No matter the trip we will absolutely want to do as much offshore time as possible - as long as we don't miss any interesting (to us) destinations.

And yes I know 20-40 miles offshore isn't really "offshore" but hopefully you understand what I mean part of the point of any of these trips is to get more experience with more than the 24+ hours at sea that we already have.

Bermuda is definitely up there for a May through June trip. I feel that would really allow us to see a lot in 1-1.5 months (or more) and be safe with the weather windows.

I feel fine provisioning for the trip: we were on the boat for ~10 days straight this summer and we ate all meals prepared on the boat. I'm sure we had enough food for at least another 10 at the end of it...! Water was also fine, though we did fill up once... but 100 gallons lasted us 7 or so days (probably longer, we did not fill up when the tanks were completely empty) with 5 people onboard. That is high usage but for a real offshore trip I feel we will probably buy a watermaker (to be figured out over this next winter). We would also need a "real" liferaft IMO, we were fine with inflating the dinghy (could hold all of us) on the davits in the extremely good (though hot) conditions we experienced.

Outside of that, we do have an EPIRB, an InReach as a backup, adequate harnesses (which we were disciplined in using), plenty of spare parts for everything I can think of (rigging, engine, fresh water systems), and plenty of spare GPS devices, AIS, radar, etc.. so I feel we are prepared, but we are looking to gain more experience and to challenge ourselves.

We regularly take the boat out in 25-30 knot days (whenever they are available) and while I understand that can be nothing to what is possible to experience at sea, we trust ourselves and we're fairly confident in the boat. I personally feel while we will certainly do more coastal cruising as we can, that to grow and gain more experience we are looking to start doing longer passages - as in the next step before doing a trip across the Atlantic or further (of course at least several years away!)

[s/v Jedi]

I recommend going down the East coast, then cross over to the Abacos, Bahamas. Going back you can make a nice long offshore passage with current, wind and waves behind you

[laika]

We had a crew of 5 depart NY for Key West on a 39' oday several of us were living on at the time. Had the time of our lives, made some real rookie mistakes, and got inspired for future trips. It sounds like you guys are much better prepared.

If you had 2-3 months starting early May you could take a run at the Bahamas and be in and out by the time things really start heating up in July.

You could also leave the boat somewhere along the way. Say, hit the Bahamas and then park her on the hard in Florida for a summer before picking things back up the following year. A place like Indiantown Marina is inexpensive and offers relative safety from names storms.

[Scrimshaw4]

Not to put a downer on your plans but it sounds like you want to sail into the hurricane zone during hurricane season. What does your insurance company say about that? For the summer most of us, north of NC., sail in either local waters, the Chesapeake or northern waters. That way we minimize insurance costs, hurricane encounters and maximize favorable weather. JMHO

[alansmith]

You could also consider the loop through the canal systems into lake Ontario then sail the pristine northern shore. It’s on my bucket list.

[Mahayana]

accomplice
Tried that. Still had to don the wetsuit off Mistake Is. when two identical floats to stbd were tied to a dissimilar third 50’ on port which then wrapped itself around the shaft, prop and bent the blade on the cutter. We are going somewhere, anywhere, without floats.

[Mahayana]

Originally Posted by alansmith

You could also consider the loop through the canal systems into lake Ontario then sail the pristine northern shore. It’s on my bucket list.

+1!

We included Lake Superior all the way to Nipigon, above the 49th lat in fresh water, on our version of the Great Loop. Would do it again. Didn’t see another boat for three weeks!